Chocolate Silk Cake

So last night I co-hosted a Baby Shower for a friend. She is going to be such a wonderful parent, both her and her husband too. We started talking about her shower about 3 months ago. I, of course, said I would make the cake. She said she wanted chocolate, strawberries, and more chocolate. This is what I came up with ....

It's a Chocolate Silk cake with a Strawberry Cheesecake filling topped with a White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting and Mixed Berries for decoration.

These recipes need to be made ahead of time, at least the day before assembly, as everything MUST be cooled completely. Total Cooling time before assembly: about 12 hours. After assembly before cutting into: about 1 hour.

I make the Chocolate Silk Cake first, then while the cakes are baking, I make the Strawberry Cream Cheese Filling, and then while the cakes are cooling, I make the White Chocolate Frosting. ALL recipes can be keep in the fridge for up 7 days, if you need the extra time. I will usually start on a Saturday before I need them ready to go.

Make sure, as always, to read ALL the recipes before you go ahead. You may need to purchase some extra tools and /or unusual ingredients, which I have put in BOLD for you.

Chocolate Silk Cake

Chocolate Cake, boxed - my favorite is Duncan Hines, Classic Devil's Food
1. Add one more egg, the white only
2. Replace the oil with melted butter
3. Replace the water with Buttermilk
4. Add 6 oz Chocolate Baking chips, melted over double-boiler - I use Baker's German Chocolate Baking Squares OR Trader Joe's Milk Chocolate Bar. (Use a scale to measure this, it must be exact)

~  Melt the baking chocolate in a glass bowl over a double-boiler. Set aside.

~  In a stand mixer or large bowl, beat the whole eggs and egg white until frothy.

~  Add the melted butter and buttermilk, mix well.

~   Add the cake mix and beat until smooth and bubbly.

~  Add the melted chocolate and mix to combine.

~  Divide as needed, either into 2 - 9" rounds or 1 - 9"x13" rectangular pans, evenly. Please make sure to spray with baking spray, I like Wilton Bake Easy Non-Stick Spray, and line your pans with Parchment paper on only the bottom of the pans. Do NOT use waxed paper this will burn in your oven and ruin your cakes.

~  Bake as directed on your box, I like to turn them half way through for even baking. Test your cakes doneness, by inserting a toothpick in the middle, if it comes out clean, it's done. If there is any wet, shininess, bake for a about 5-7 minutes more and test again.

~  Once your cakes have baked, let them cool in the pans for about 10-15 minutes, then cover the pans with a sheet of parchment and flip over on to a cooling rack. 

~  Then cool completely or for at least 3 hours, then transfer to the fridge for at least 6 hours. You need your cake to be cold in order to frosting them properly.

Strawberry Cheesecake Filling

1 8oz Block of Cream Cheese
3 cups of Powdering sugar
4 tbsp Strawberry Puree**, recipe below (You can use the rest as a toast topper, like a jam)

~  In a stand mixer or a deep bowl, whip the cream cheese until fluffy.

~  On low speed, add the sugar, one cup at a time, and mix until combined.

~  Increase the speed to medium and whip until fluffy.

~  Using a spatula, fold in the puree. 

Strawberry Puree**:
1 cup frozen strawberries, this work better then fresh as the berries will have a little water content and helps then berries emulsify easier. 
1 tsp Balsamic Vinegar
1 tsp truffle oil or a sunflower oil works too but brings a different stronger flavor - if you can't find either a nut oil also works, like any of these.
2 tbsp white granulated sugar

~  Add the berries to a saucepan and put on low-medium low heat. Let them cook down on their own for about 20 minutes, no need to stir them. 

~  Once they are soft, stir to let them break apart. 

~  Add the vinegar, oil, and sugar and stir to combine. 

~  Let this cool until steam is no longer visible, transfer to a blender or food processor and blend until only slightly chunky - NOT completely smooth - you want a few chucks of strawberry for texture.

~  Transfer to a container with a tight fitting lid and place in the fridge to cool completely, at least 2 hours. 

White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

6 oz white chocolate baking chips, measured with a scale

1 cup butter, softened

3 cups powdered sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 whipping cream

1 tsp almond extract

~  First, melt you chocolate. Pour the baking chips in a glass bowl and place it over a pot of simmering water, about medium heat (this is double boiling). Let the chocolate melt, and then stir to combine. Set aside.

~  Place the softened butter in a bowl or a stand mixer; whip the butter for about 3 minutes on medium speed until really fluffy. This mixes the milk solids and the creams in the butter together and creates a much lighter consistency.

~  Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time to the butter. Slowly mix each addition until smooth. Once all the sugar has been added, beat on high for 2 minutes.

~  Scrap the the sides of the bowl and beat on high again for 1 minute.

~  Add the cream and the almond extract. Mix well.

~  Add the cooled, melted chocolate and mix to combine.

~  Now beat on high for 5 minutes for a final time. Your frosting should be light and fluffy.

Tools you will need:

Cake Board - use a size that gives you at least 1 inch between the edge of your cake and the edge of the board. (i.e. for 9 inch rounds - use 10" to 12" cake boards OR for a 9"x13" sheet cake - use a cake board that is at least 10"x 14" to 14"x 16")
Wilton #789 icing tip– for icing the sides
Icing bags - I like to use disposable bags that are at least 16" - 18" in size
Cake Trimmer Turntable
Icing smoother (I 100% recommend this, it's makes it easier)
9 inch offset spatula
Fondant smoother
Viva paper towels (Viva brand specifically, they don't have any raised patterns and are mostly cotton, so they don't create any lint)


To assemble your cake:

Flip over the cake layer, on to a piece of clean parchment. Remove the parchment from the bottom of the layer. 

1. Lay down you first layer, top up on to a cake board. 

2. Spread the Strawberry Cream Cheese on top, leaving about 1/2 inch perimeter around the edges.

3. Add the second cake layer on top, top downwards this time and press gently to adhere the two layers. You want the layers to have the bottoms bookend to create a nice flat smooth canvas for frosting.

4. Lay a piece of parchment over the top and lay a kitchen towel over your cakes.

5. Put back in the fridge for at least 1 hour to set.

Once you've assembled your cake, its frosting time. Here is a post I found at Love, Life, and Sugar. She does such an amazing job of explaining this process, I just can't top it, -- go check it out and come back - make sure to bookmark to watch while you are doing it!

Once you've frosted your cake and it's been chilled for at least 2 hours to set everything, can add the sliced fruit like I did or write with icing your message. 

Then at last - ENJOY!!

I spray painted the top layer with Gold Dust Spray and topped it with sliced strawberries, whole blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries. Then dusted the fruit with an Silver food dust.

A closeup of the Fruit design: